Ch. 4 Key Terms Flashcards
ecosystem
All the organisms living in an area together with their physical environment.
biotic factor
All of the organisms (living and dead) apart of the ecosystem.
abiotic factor
The nonliving parts of the ecosystem including water, air. rocks, etc.
organism
An individual living thing
species
A group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring.
population
A group of the same species that live in the same place.
community
A group of various species that live in the same place and interact with each other.
habitat
The place an organism lives.
natural selection
The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce with more success than less well adapted individuals do.
evolution
A change in the genetic characteristics of a population from one generation to the next.
adaptation
An inherited trait that increases an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction in a certain environment.
artificial selection
The selective breeding of organisms by humans for a specific characteristic.
resistance
The ability of one or more organisms to tolerate a particular chemical designed to kill it.
archaea
Microscopic organisms often found in extreme places such as hot springs.
bacteria
Microscopic, unicellular organisms that have a cell wall and reproduce by dividing in half.
